Fairy godfather

This year has been tough.  I feel a bit like Will Smith in The Pursuit of Happiness (though of course I'm not spending my nights in subway stations) when he says "this part of my life is called running."  I don't feel like I've had much of a break since I started this degree program.  It's like you finish one thing (exam, lab practical, internship) only to jump into another project and looming deadline.  There's not much time to digest it all and relax.  The end is in sight (two months away) and I'm currently in the trenches of report writing. 

Luckily dad is visiting now, and as is always the case when family is here, I feel a little lighter and benefit from some much needed help.  He's been a real godsend this week since it's vacation time for the schools (but not me) and Juliette's daycare is closed.  So he's been playing babysitter and the two of them seem to be getting on well.  Unfortunately there have been some rainy days that have messed up their plans.  But he's certainly made this week easier for all of us, helping with dishes and meal prep, too.

Look at this great salad he made (with yummy goat cheese cubes and red wine to go with it):

Here he and Juju are watching animal videos:

I've got four days off now due to a long weekend so we can hopefully do something more than just make dinner while he's here. 

It was also my birthday Wednesday and Remi got me a lovely strawberry charlotte (I only pestered him a little to make sure he would have time to buy something cause he's insanely busy now, working seven days a week due to the spring rush in the greenhouse):

 No, your eyes do not deceive you, that's a 3 and an 8 on the cake. 

Hopefully the year of 38 will involve a lot less running and a lot more having fun. 

Happy birthday to my other Taurus peeps out there: Marnie, Ilona, Emma, Crystal, Becca, Amber, too, right?...You rock, girls! 

Likin' this American girl...

I'm gonna brag a little here. I'm just so proud of my little girl. This year has been monumental in her language development in both languages. She'll rattle off in French when she feels like it. But of course I'm more impressed when she tells me full, comprehensible sentences in English. Sometimes she comes out with some real zingers, like:

"Mommy, you're being whiny today."

"Let's get cozy on the couch."

"Put your hands in your pockets and they'll get nice and warm."

I just love it when she uses those little phrases like "kinda" and "pretty much". I feel like she's picked up the essence of the language even if sometimes the tenses aren't all where they could be. She's doing fine!

I know I've said it before, but I really credit Walt Disney and my Internet TV provider (SFR) which allows us to get the Disney channel in English. I think watching her favorite cartoons helps increase her vocabulary. And the DVDs we can get in English, too. Plus Sesame Street and the fact that Remi is willing to speak in English with her.

Here she is dancing to the Hot Dog Dance they do on the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.




And frankly I'm delighted to be able to speak in my native language with my favorite little person on earth. It really is something lovely to share. And somehow it makes me feel like I've got a little ally here. A piece of home right next to me.

Now, as I write she's in my lap begging me to go see the carousel that's in town, so I'll have to sign out!